Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

This module…

Builds on earlier journalism and multimedia modules to enable students to explore the field of radio/ audio/podcast journalism and storytelling.

Introduces training in broadcast news and journalistic features presentation through voice coaching.

Includes short and medium term deadlines as opportunities to replicate the newsroom environment.

Encourages consideration of the place of the audience in different audio distribution models e.g. on-air and on demand.

Offers contextualisation of the role of media regulators and journalistic ethics in the making of audio journalism content.

Introduces students to the historic and current UK radio/ audio/ podcast landscape.

Allows students to be creative.

Has a choice of assessment outcomes for the student to explore and define a unique assessment brief in agreement with their module leader.
Ideas might include: a series of radio packages - perhaps with online versions or a social media campaign, a podcast series proposal with sample episode(s), a live (or 'as live') broadcast from an event, an interactive lesson plan to teach an element/ elements of the module to GCSE or A-Level Media students.
Your listening and reading in a structured way in the early weeks will help to inform your thinking, and you will work with the module leader in copy clinics and workshops to refine your idea, which will be written up as a 'Programme Brief' and submitted as your first summative assessment with evidence you have achieved ethics approval and risk assessment approval.
Submissions will be graded 0% without approved risk assessment and ethics forms.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students will be engaging with current affairs content during the course of the semester, so the nature of the topics are subject to change

These are likely to include:

Narrative Structures

Audience

Package-making

Broadcast Regulation

Codes and Conventions of radio and their relationship to podcasting

Intimacy of the medium

Historical and contemporary context of the field

What does radio mean to you?

Balance and bias

Active listening

Writing for radio

Presenting in radio and audio.

You will be taught in weekly three-hour workshop sessions, with a lecture-style Sway provided ahead of the timetabled activity.
Each week there will be practical tasks, listening and reading to support and to inform the learning.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Students successfully completing the module will possess:

1. An understanding of the developing and emerging trends in radio and podcast journalism
2. An understanding of the ethical and regulatory considerations
3. An understanding of the cyclical relationship between media theory and practice
4. An understanding of the position of the audience in the creation of radio/ audio/ podcast output

Intended Skill Outcomes

Students successfully completing the module will have:

1. The ability to create quality audio for distribution
2. The ability to present information that has been gathered from a range of sources using journalistic techniques
3. The ability to write copy for a specific target audience within a deadline.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

N/A

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Students will undertake two summative assessments throughout the semester that are designed to build confidence and capability. The programme brief encourages students to start early planning on their final practical work, and enables crucial collaboration between students and teacher to develop the work in an individualised style. The style of storytelling, copy writing and presentation is very different to that covered elsewhere in the degree programmes, therefore formative activity and regular feedback in workshops is an important part of the module.

Summative assessments are staggered throughout the semester and underpinned by a formative submission of ethics and risk assessment forms (as per all practical MCH modules). Students start to consider their end of semester project in the first half of the semester, forming a programme brief. They will already have discussed this with teaching staff and received verbal formative feedback. The summative submission of this brief will enable them to receive detailed written feedback. Evidence of pre-approved ethics and risk assessment forms is to be submitted as part of this first summative assessment. Failure to provide this will result in a mark of 0%.

Throughout the semester students are advised to complete a radio log, which invited them to listen to specific podcasts, stations and programmes. By listening widely students are better able to contextualise the techniques they learn about in workshops and from books and they are more likely to be able to replicate these skills in their own production work. This log can form the basis of class discussions and strengthen the student's understanding and ability to produce high quality radio audio.

General Notes

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